Ben Hull's tear through to the semifinals of Pro Tour Kaladesh was a dream unfolding. Arriving and playing ill, without testing, at one's first Pro Tour isn't supposed to end well. Instead, Hull steered his Vehicles to a Top 8 berth, then raced through two impressive opponents: French standout Pierre Dagen and Lee Shi Tian, the latter of who earned an impressive fifth Pro Tour Top 8 appearance.

It was an unbelievable story for the newcomer, and the pressure continued to climb as his opponent defied the odds as well.

Shota Yasooka, legendary Pro Tour Hall of Fame player, picked up a career fourth Pro Tour Top 8 by slicing through a field with a unique control deck of his own design. Like all of Yasooka's success, his defining characteristic of working alone to attack a tournament of the game's greatest paid off, as no one saw his deck coming. Finishing second in the Swiss standings, Yasooka earned a warp to the semifinals, and a two-match chance at earning another Pro Tour victory.

He was arguably Hull's most difficult opponent yet. Coming from opposite sides of their careers, only one would advance to face Carlos Romao in the finals.

Using his Clue tokens, Hull drew into a Toolcraft Exemplar that crewed the Copter. Once it was a creature, Yasooka cast the final spell needed to transform Thing in the Ice to Awakened Horror. Harnessed Lightning ensured Hull's Copter died before attacking on the next turn, and with Negate for the follow-up Copter after that, Yasooka firmly took over the game.

At 6 life, Hull was forced to chump block with his Needle Spires. Thraben Inspector into cracking a Clue wasn't enough for Hull to get back into it after that.

Yasooka had evened up the score as both players began to sideboard their decks. With different, and likely better, answers for Yasooka as well as a different configuration of threats for Hull, it was back to a best of three to determine who would advance to the finals.

Another Depala and a Veteran Motorist appeared next for Hull, who was allowed to crew both of his Copters with them. 9 power swung out in the air, but Unlicensed Disintegration changed the actual damage to just 4.

Hull was again left without creatures to crew his Copters.

Another Motorist arrived to power a Copter. Yasooka took 4 from the attack, but having Negate for Hull's Gideon, Ally of Zendikar was another exchange that left Yasooka in command.

Veteran Motorist gave Hull one more set of scry to work with, and Hull crewed his Copter to keep digging. He couldn't find anything to stop Yasooka.

The fourth game was now for Yasooka's match point, and Hull continued to think and shake his head shuffling up for the game. Yasooka's disciplined look offered nothing to the observer; It was one of his famous qualities.

Smuggler's Copter was Hull's second turn play, sliding in before Yasooka's arsenal of answers could come online, though Thing in the Ice was waiting next. Hull missed his third turn land and didn't cast a creature, then again on his fourth turn. His fifth turn was a Needle Spires, which enters the battlefield tapped. By the time Hull had something else to do, Yasooka was waiting with two copies of Thing in the Ice and plenty of open mana.